Machine for operating upon sheet-metal caps



Aug. 23; 1927.

W. Y CAMERON MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SHEET un'm. GAPS s Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 12, 1924 .lllllllllllll Y I @meram Aug. 23, 1927.

' 6 W. CAMERON MACHINE FOR DiERATING uron SHEET METAL CAPS Filed July 12, 1924 ssnms-snut 2 jZUG/lZb'f'. 77o Cancer-02;

n 4 MA Aug. 23, 1927. 1,639,646

w. CAMERON MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SHEET METAL CAPS Filed Juli; 12. 1924 s shuts-sheet 3 Patented Aug. .23, 1927 1,639,646 PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM CAMERON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO CAMERON CAN MACHINERY COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 01 ILLINOIS.

MACHINE FOR OPERATING UPON SHEET-METAL CAPS.

Application flled'il'uly 12, 1924. Serial 1T0. 725,569.

This invention pertains to machines for operating upon sheet metal caps, such as are employed for closing tin cans, bottles and other containers. 4

These caps, as exemplified in my co-pending application for improvements in cap thread rolling machines, Serial No. 653,059, filed July 23, 1923, are customarily punched and drawn into cylindrical shape on a die press which, however, leaves a resultant outwardly extending flange at the open end of the cap. and are then fed into a machine which simultaneously nurls and threads the walls of the caps. The caps are subsequently subjected to a separate operation in another machine which trims off the projecting flange. a

One of the primary purposes of my invention is to provide in a single machine oorelated means for threading the caps and for trimming theflanges thereof.

Another important purpose of this in-' vention is to provide a trimming mechanism' which begins its operation substantially at the time of completion of the threading operation, whereby a straight trimmed edge will be assured.

Another object is to provide a trimming mechanism for the purpose described, in- 30 cluding a rotary cutter and means for adjusting the position of the cutter relative to the point .of work so that caps of different diameters may be readily trimmed.

Other objects and advantages ofthis invention will be readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following description, when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a machine embodying my invention, v

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view partly in section showing. the threading dies and the cutter in co-operative relation,

Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of the trimmer mechanism,

Fig. 5 is .an elevation of a cap, prior to'being. operated upon by my invention, and

Fig. 6 is a similar view,-but showing the cap after being operated upon by my invention.

Referring tothe drawings in detail, 5

indicatesv the bed of the machine'which is supported upon legs 6..

Extending transversely of the bed and journaled therein is a main drive shaft 7 Y which is equipped at its projecting end with 14 and 15. This shaft 13 is provided at its inner-end with a reduced threaded portion 16 and with a reduced intermediate portion 17 forming resultant inner and outer spaced shoulders 18 and 19 respectively.

An inne'r threading spindle or die 20 has threaded engagement with the reduced end portion 16 of theshaft 13, and clamped between said die and the outer shoulder 19 of the shaft13 is a ring-shaped trimmer blade 21' which co-operates with a mova le cutter as will be hereinafter explained. Upon the spindle shaft 13, intermediate the bearings 14 and 15. is fixed a gear wheel22 which. meshes with and is driven by a gear 23 fixed upon countershaft 24 which extends parallel with and-above the main shaft 7. The countershaft 24 is driven by the main shaft 7 through the medium of intermeshing gears 25 and 26 which are respectively fixed to said shafts. The gear 22 is fixed to the shaft 13 to move longitudinally and consequently the gear 23 is formed ith a broad face so as to maintain intermes ing relation with the gear 22 when said s dle shaft is moved longitudinally.

The longitudinal or reciprocatory movements of the spindle shaft 13 are imparted thereto through the medium of a grooved collar 27, fixed to said shaft and adapted to i receive inwardlyprojecting pins 28. 28, carriedby arms 29, 29 which pro ect upwardly from a rock shaft 30. This shaft, at its forward end, is provided with a depending ,arm 31, carrying a cam follower 32 which is urged against the face of a cam 33 fixed upon the cam shaft 10, by a tractile spring 34. The rotation of the cam 33 therefor imparts a longitudinal reciprocatory movement to the spindle shaft 13. The spindle or die 20 i will consequently be projected inwardly in a bearing 37, and detaohably attached to late the die 38 about the shaft the inner-end of said spindle shaft 36 is a threading spindle or die 38. This cooperat ing die 38 is adapted to be moved toward and from the inner die 20 and in a direction at right an les to the direction of reciprocation of said inner die 20. To this end I have mounted the bearing 37 which carries the die 38 upon arms 39 which are loosely mounted for oscillatory movements upon the countershaft 24. Swinging movements of the arms 39 to move the spindle 38 to and from the inner die 20 are effected by a lever 40 which co-operates with a cam 41 fixed to the shaft 10, said cam 41 engaging a follower 42 on lever 40. The arms 39 are adjustably connected to the lever 40 by means of a pin which is adapted to be passed through any one of the openings 43 formed in the lever, and aligned openings formed in the arms. 4

B means of this adjustment the position of t e die 38 with respect to the die 20=may be easily regulated so as to vary the approach of the die 38 toward the die 20, thereby accommodating the machine to caps of different diameters. The lever 40 is yieldably held in engagement with the cam 41 bya tractile spring 44. It will, therefore, be obvious that the cam shaft 10 serves to reciprocate the spindle 20 longitudinally, and also to oscil 24 toward and from the die 20. a

The shaft 36 which carries the die 38 is constantly rotated from the countershaft 24 through the medium of a gear 45 which is .fixed to the shaft 36, and an idler 46 which is journaled on the arms 39 and which is in constant engagement with the gear 25 previously described.

The caps to be operated upon, one of which is shown in section in Figure 3 and is indicated as an entirety by the reference numeral 50, .are placed in a-hopper (not shown), from which they are automatically fed, one' at a time, by a feeding mechanism into a chute or channel 51, to the lower end of which the caps travel by gravity. These caps are fed into the chute with their 0 en ends disposed towardthe right as viewe .in Figure 1 in order that the die 20 may enter the caps. a

At the lower' end of the chute 51, there is mounted a reciprocatory feed-slide 52 which s actuated throu h the medium of a rock arm 53 fixed to t e shaft 54 and a link 55 which is pivotallv connected to theslide 52 and arm 53. The shaft 54 is rocked through the medium of a suitable connection (not ,ery thereof for radial adjustments 'throu shown) at one end of the bed with the shaft 10; Thus the slide 52 is reciprocated to transfer the caps in succession from the bottom of the chute 51 into axial alignment with the die 20.

Suitable means such as are shown and described in my co-pending application above referred to, are provided for the purpose of holding the caps in position during the operation thereon.

These caps 50 which are usually formed from tin or light sheet metal, are each punched and drawn into cylindrical shape on a die press, and as a result each cap is formed at its open end with a laterally extending ragged flange 56, and in the oper-' ation of the machine as thus far described, these caps are each formed with a thread 57 and with a nurled portion 58, the latter being formed by nurling portions 59, 59, formed on the respective dies 20 and 38.

In order to trim the flange 56 from a given cap 50 I have provided a cutter which 0scillates in a plane at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the die supporting shaft and in a vertical plane in the space between the shoulders 18 and 19 0f the spindle shaft 13. This cutter is moved into and out of engagement with the ring shaped cutter blade 21 and co-operates with the latter to trim the flange 56 from the cap. To this end 1 have provided a cutter lever 60 which carries a freely rotatable cutter 61, the lever 60 being fulcrumed on the countershaft 24, and the end of the lever 60 opposite the cutter 61, carrying a cam follower 62 for engagement with a cam 63 fixed to the shaft 10. The follower 62 comprises a roller which is mounted on a shaft 64 having an eccentric portion 65 that is adjustably clamped in a,

split socket formed in the outer end of the lever 60 by a clamping bolt 66. Thus the roller 62 may be adjusted about its eccentric pivot 65 so as to vary the position of theconcentrically mounted on the shaft 10 and having a cam shoe 67 mounted on the periphh the medium of slots 68 and clampin bolts 69, whereby the cam shoe 67 ma be adjusted to' vary the timing action 0 the cutter 61:1," The lever 60 isyieldably held in engageme'nt with the cam 63 by a tractile spring 70. I

Disposed between the cutter ring 21 and the shoulder 18 of the spindle shaft 13 is a floating ring shapedwasher 71, the .inner diameter thereof being greater than the d ameter of a reduced portion 17 of said shaft, and the outer diameter thereof being substantially equal to the interior diameter of the cap. This Washer 71 forms a floating support for the partially severed end portion of the cap andalso forms an intermediate bearing between the cap and thejreduced portion 17 of. the shaft 13 whereby the rotary cutter 61 will co-operate with the cutting ring 21 to sever the end portion cleanly from the body of the cap. I

It is desirable to substantially complete the threading operation before the trimming operation is begun. It will be observed that during the threading operation the length of the cap isshortened and if the cutting operation were performed simultaneously with the threading operation, the trimmed edge "would be more or less ragged. By timing the cam 63, the trimming mechanism begins to function at a time substantially at the end of the threading operation and as'a result a clean trimmed edge to the cap is assured. In operation the caps are fed into the chute 51 and these caps travel down the chute by gravity until the lowermost one engages the reciprocatory slide 52. This slide is constructed to receive the lowermost cap and 'upon forward movement of the slide this cap portion 58 Willbe formedin the cap. During this threading and nurling operation the cutter 61 is of course disposed in its retracted and inoperative position, but upon substantial completion of the threading 'operation, the cutter 61 is moved into engagement With the cap through the medium of.

the cam 63. As a result the end portion of the cap containin the flange 56 Will be severed and a straig t, smooth, trimmed edge will be formed on the cap. The dies and the cutter are then returned to their normal positions and the operations repeated.

It is believed that my invention, its construction mode of operation, and many of the attendant advantages thereof Will be understood and appreciated from the foregoing Without further description, and it should be manifest that various modifications in the structural details illustrated and described may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the character described, the combination of means for performing a threading operation upon a sheet metal body, and means adapted to be automatically moved into contact with-said body to trim the same subsequent to the threading operation.

-2. In a machine of the character described,

the combination of means for-performing a threading operation upon a sheet metal body, and cam controlled means adapted to be moved into contact with said body to trim the same subsequent to the threading operation.

- 3. In a machine of the charat'cer described, the combination of means including a pair of co-operating dies for threading a sheet metal body, and automatically operated means co-operating with one of said dies for trimming one end of said body, said trimming means comprising a cutter, a lever supporting the cutter, and a cam for actuating said lever.

4. In a machine of the character described, the combination of means including a pair of co-operating dies for threading a sheet metal body, and automatically operated means co-operating with one of said dies for trimming one end of said body, said trimming means comprising a cutter, a lever supporting the cutter, means for yieldably urg-- ing the lever in one direction, and a cam for actuating the lever in the opposite direction.

5. Ina machine of the character described, the combination of means including a pair ofco-operating dies for threading a sheet metal body, and automatically operated means co-operating With one of said dies for trimming one end of said body, said trimming means comprising a cutter, a lever supporting the cutter, and a cam for actuating said lever, said cam being timed to actuate the cutter lever substantially at the time of completion of the threading of said body.

6., In a machine of the character described, the combination of means for performing a threading operation upon a sheet metal body, and automatically operated means including a cam for performing a trimming operation upon .one end of said body, said cam being timed to begin said trimming operation substantially at the time of. completion of the threading operation.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a rotary shaft, of a threading die fixed to the outer end of said shaft forsupporting a tubular sheet metal body, a second rotary threading die co-operating'therewith to form a threadon said tubular body, and an automatically,

operated rotary. cutter co-operating with the inner end of the first mentioned die to trim the inner end of said sheet metal body.

8. In a machine of the character described, the combination with a rotary shaft having a reduced end and a resultant shoulder, of a threading die fixed to said reduced end for supporting a tubular sheet metal body, the inner end of said die being separated from said shoulder to form a space therebetween, a rotary threading 'die co-operating with the first mentioned die to form athread in saidtubular body, and a rotary cutter movable in a'plane between the first -mentioned threading die and said shoulder for moving said cutter towards and from said die in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis thereof. Y

10. In a machine for threading and trimming a sheet metal tubular body, the combination of a pair of co-operating ro- 1 tary-threading dies, means for moving one of said dies longitudinally, means for moving the other die-in a direction transverse to said longitudinally movable die, a cutterco-operating with said longitudinally movable die to trim one end of said bod and means for moving said cutter towar sand from, said die in a plane transverse to the longitudinal axis thereof, said last-named means including an adjustable cam timed to move the cutter into engagement with said body subsequent to the completion of the threading operation on said body.

11. In a, machine for threading and trimining a sheet metal tubular body, the combination of a longitudinally movable rotary shaft, a threading die fast on said shaft, a

circular cutter movable into and out of shear relation to said ring-shaped cutter and cooperating with the latter to trim off an end of said tubular body, and a floating washer on said first-named shaft adapted to enter and support the end of said tubular body during the trimming action of said cutters thereon.

12. In a machine of the character described, the combination of means for performing a threading operation upon a sheet metal body and means independent of said first named means and adapted to be automatically moved into contact with said body to trim thesame subsequent to the threadingoperation. I

13. In a machine 'of the character described, the combination of means for performing a threading operation'upon' a sheet metal body, and cam controlled means independent of said first named means adapted to be moved into contact with said bod to trim the same subsequent to the threa ing operation.

14. In a machine of the character described, the combination of means including a pair of. cooperating dies for threading a sheet metal body, and means independent of said dies and adapted to be moved into cooperative relation with one of said dies to trim the end of said body subsequent to the threading operation. 7

WILLIAM CAMERON. 

